


Crossroads

by a1_kitkat



Category: Roswell New Mexico (TV 2019)
Genre: Angst and Feels, Canon Compliant, Hotel Sex, Jesse Manes is an Ass, Lost Decade, M/M, Malex, Not Beta Read, Roadtrip, Wedding, michael is still a lovesick puppy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-10
Updated: 2019-10-10
Packaged: 2020-12-07 12:28:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,734
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20975906
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/a1_kitkat/pseuds/a1_kitkat
Summary: Alex gets stranded trying to make it home for his oldest brother’s wedding. Michael comes to his rescue





	Crossroads

**Author's Note:**

> I started this for Michael Guerin week & was trying to squeeze as many tropes as possible into this fic which was why it took me so long.

He knew that voice; was one he didn’t hear often but would forever be embedded in his psyche. His hand twitched at the very sound of his voice and Michael buried his head under his pillow then groaned.

“... get rid of this eyesore”

Michael sat up, blinking; what exactly was Jesse calling an ‘eyesore’? He kicked the sheet from the bed, pulled on the nearest pair of jeans he could reach then moved to open the door of his airstream. Moving away from him was Forrester, Manes and one of his sons.

He paused and leaned against the door frame.

“Is there a problem, Sir?” Michael spat.

Jesse Manes turned to look at him. If he’d been expecting to see Michael, he didn’t let on but simply affixed a grim expression upon his lips.

“The Master Sergeant needs you to move your rig” Forrester said as he moved towards Michael. “Just for a day or two”

“And why is that?” Michael folded his arms across his chest.

“The Manes family have booked the ranch for the weekend; his eldest is getting married”

“You must be  _ so proud _ ” Michael drawled at Jesse.

“Move this piece of junk” Jesse said to Michael “and make yourself scarce too”

“Now Sergeant, Michael here is a loyal tenant” Forrester came to Michael’s defense.

“Move this piece of junk or I’ll move it for you”

Jesse turned and walked away from him; Forrester shot him a sympathetic smile and told him there’d be monetary compensation for moving his airstream.

Michael’s eyes met with the gaze of the eldest of the Manes boys. They both stared at each other for a beat.

“Junior Manes” Michael greeted him with a nod of his head.

“It’s J.J” Jesse Junior replied; his eyes darted from Michael’s face to his scarred hand then back to meet his gaze.

“Congrats” Michael drawled.

“Thanks; if only all us ‘Manes Men’ could be so lucky”

J.J’s phone began to ring and he turned his back to answer it. Michael knew that was his cue to walk away and close the door but the tone of J.J’s voice caused him to stop especially once he heard him utter a certain name.

“It’s okay, just calm down, Alex” J.J was saying “of course I want you there, it’s my wedding but I understand. If you can’t… I know you tried… we both want to see you, even if it’s after… yeah I’ll tell him… of course… hey, love you bro”

Michael leaned forward as J.J moved towards his father.

“Alex isn’t coming” he sounded disappointed.

“Well, probably for the best” Jesse said to him.

“Dad! This is my wedding; I really wanted him to be here”

“Life isn’t fair son, learn to accept it”

“He tried so hard to be here but his flight got rerouted and he had to rent a car but it broke down and now he’s stuck there”

“Silver linings, Junior. You don’t want the likes of him there, drawing attention for his… differences”

“He’s my  _ brother _ , dad. We can’t leave him at a super 8 outside Colorado Springs”

“Your wedding is tomorrow, Alex isn’t coming, accept it son. It’ll be better this way”

J.J shook his head as his father walked away from him. He turned and looked at Michael. Their eyes locked again but Michael’s gaze immediately turned to his truck.

He hadn’t seen Alex in years and the man was trying to come home for his brother’s wedding. His father didn’t want him there but his brother did.

Michael stepped back into the airstream and looked around for cleaner clothes. He dressed in whatever he could find, placed his cowboy hat upon his head then stepped back out into the sunshine. He started towards his truck and found a piece of paper underneath the wiper. Michael looked around but both Manes men were gone.

He snatched up the paper and carefully unfolded it. The hastily written note simply stated a room number and the name of a hotel.

He slipped the paper into his pocket as he moved towards the cab of his truck.

***

Alex had exhausted every means possible before regretfully having to admit defeat. Calling his brother, embarrassingly close to tears to tell him he was stuck in a dingy hotel with a broken down car and no means of getting it fixed and wouldn’t be able to make his wedding was one of the hardest phone calls he’d ever had to make.

Afterwards he’d had nothing to do but sit and wait. A taxi to Roswell would cost more money than he had and he’d never ask anyone for a loan. The bus timetables were ridiculous to the point that he’d have to travel twice as far in the opposite direction to take a very long winded journey which still wouldn’t get him to town until after the ceremony.

Of his three brothers, J.J was the only one who understood and accepted him. Perhaps it was the vast age difference that made Alex look up to him more than he ever could to their father and also gave J.J a protective streak. Unfortunately for Alex, their father’s violent streak towards him and his sexuality hadn’t kicked in until after J.J had long left town. Even now, Alex wasn’t entirely sure if his oldest brother knew the full extent of what Jesse had done to him over the years as they’d never once sat down and  _ talked _ about it.

But when J.J had decided to propose, Alex had been the first family member he’d called. Alex had been his first choice for his best man… though their father had quickly vetoed that and ensured Alex had been relegated to groomsmen.

Now he wasn’t going to be anything; wasn’t even going to be there.

Alex told himself not to cry, that it wasn’t his fault; he’d tried his best to make it but leave had been hard to come by and he’d had to call in a few favors; part of the reason he hadn’t been able to fly direct to Roswell.

He turned the television on and pulled the pillow to his chest, hugged it tightly as tears filled his eyes but he refused to let them fall. Alex had never been the type to wallow, not for lack of chances, it just wasn’t his style.

Though here, in this run down old hotel room, with no one to talk to or witness it, maybe now was the perfect time for such a thing.

A part of him had been looking forward to going home, seeing Maria and Mimi; watching his brother marry the love of his life. J.J’s fiancé was a beautiful woman, inside and out. She would look stunning in her gorgeous dress and would glide down the aisle to marry the love of her life.

He could picture it so clearly in his mind, the happy loving smiles on their faces as they exchanged vows.

But the image shifted and it was no longer his brother standing at the altar but himself. He was dressed in a fine suit (not his dress uniform) and was smiling at the man standing before him. 

Alex sat up, shook his head to clear the image from his mind and took a breath. He couldn’t stay here, the walls were closing in on him.

He grabbed the key and his wallet and went for a walk. 

The town was small but he found a liquor store and bought a couple of bottles to take back to the room. He slogged back across town, realized he’d managed to kill almost an hour, and he unlocked the door. Alex went inside, kicked off his shoes and climbed onto the bed. He opened the bottle and took a long swig.

*****

Michael drove as fast as the speed limit allowed for several hours. The drive from Roswell to Fountain, he estimated, was around six hours but the one constant that kept him moving forward was  _ Alex _ . The thought of seeing him again, looking into his eyes, telling him… telling him, what? That he  _ still _ loved him. That he didn’t think he’d ever be able to stop loving him?

He glanced at the scars on his hand as he flexed his fingers then gripped the steering wheel. The damage to his hand was a curse but, in a twisted way, almost a blessing too. Every time he looked at his hand, he would be reminded of that afternoon in the toolshed. 

That one perfect afternoon he’d spent in Alex’s arms. Sometimes he could still feel Alex’s skin beneath his fingers, hear the soft moans from his throat, the heat of the bodies as they melded together as one. 

Michael had only seen Alex a handful of times since then; the few weeks between that day and graduation were essentially a blur as he’d been haunted by the memories of that night and what Isobel had done to Rosa, Kate and Jasmine.

He’d sat in a tree outside Alex’s home the night before he left for basic training but never managed to engage with him.

They’d spoken, in passing, at the Crashdown and at the Wild Pony. Michael had ended up in the drunk tank that particular night after one of Kyle’s former jock pals had called Alex a derogatory term and Michael had launched himself into defending him. Alex bailed him out in the morning, thanked him for still caring and had placed a single kiss to his cheek.

It was the last physical contact they’d had but some nights, Michael would close his eyes and pretend he could feel Alex’s lips on his skin.

He knew he was only fooling himself. Alex had moved on, was making something of himself and forging a career for himself. He’d only been enlisted a few years but already had one medal to his name. Alex was going to be someone, Michael was destined to stay in Roswell and remain a nobody.

The scenery didn’t change much between New Mexico and Colorado, even as he crossed the state line. Michael didn’t stop though, he was on a mission to ensure Alex didn’t miss an important event. 

Now that he was in Colorado, his destination felt that much closer. He told himself not to panic; he had no idea how Alex would react to seeing him. His one hope was that Alex would understand that his intentions were pure. Michael just wanted Alex to be at his brother’s side on his wedding day.

He finally reached the town mentioned on the hastily scribbled note and pulled off the main road, looked around for a place to stop to ask directions when he saw a sign for the hotel he was after. Michael continued along the road until he spotted the building and parked the truck.

He sat in the cab for a moment, palms sweating as he tried to compose himself. 

A six hour drive and he still didn’t know exactly what he was going to say to Alex. He climbed out of the truck, checked the piece of paper for the room number then headed inside. Michael found the right room easily enough. He removed his hat and held it before him like a security blanket as he reached up and nervously knocked on the door.

*****

He wasn’t drunk but definitely tipsy. The knocking at the door was constant enough to lure him from the comfort of the bed just to make it stop. Alex shuffled across the room and opened the door to find Michael standing upon the threshold. His initial reaction was that he clearly  _ was _ drunk and was hallucinating.

Their eyes locked and Michael’s gaze softened at the mere sight of him. Alex simply stared right back into those beautiful lovesick eyes and he reached for his hand.

Neither of them said a word as Alex pulled Michael into the room and into his embrace. He felt Michael’s arms as they wrapped around him, protectively, one at his waist, the other around his chest. Both were breathing very heavily as their lips slowly came together in a long, lingering kiss.

Alex grasped Michael’s neck, cupped his cheeks and held him close. He could feel Michael’s arms tightening around him, pulling  _ him _ closer as though trying to merge their bodies.

They continued to exchange kisses while moving towards the bed. Alex’s knee hit the bed frame and he caught himself, came to his senses. He slowly broke free, drew a breath and placed his hand upon Michael’s chest to keep their distance.

“Am I dreaming or are you really here?” Alex whispered.

“I’m here” Michael replied. He reached up and grasped Alex’s hand.

“Why? Why are you here?”

“Your brother is getting married; you can’t miss that”

Alex gasped; Michael had driven all this way just to make sure he made it to J.J’s wedding.

“How did you…?” Alex trailed off. It didn’t really matter; Michael was  _ here  _ and he was here for him. He watched as Michael stifled a yawn and his heart went out to him.

“You came all this way” Alex said “you should rest”

“Nah” Michael waved him off “I’ll be fine”

“It’s like six hours, Guerin, you need a rest”

Michael shook his head but Alex pushed him onto the bed.

“It’s getting late” Alex reasoned “and the ceremony isn’t until eleven. You can’t drive another six hours, not in this state… So lie down and sleep for a bit. I’ll go get you some food”

He expected Michael to put up more of an argument but he simply kicked off his boots and lie back, head on the pillow. Alex grinned as Michael closed his eyes and he found his wallet, room key. He watched over him for a few minutes until his breath slowed, deeper and more even, in slumber. Alex tentatively reached out and ran his fingers through Michael’s messy curls. His heart skipped a beat and he took a step back then hurried out the door. 

Once free of the room again, Alex moved across the parking lot and towards the nearest cafe. He ordered a coffee and sat down to drink it, in no hurry to return to the room. Michael had driven a long way and he definitely needed to rest.

He aimlessly stirred the mug, deep in thought as he thought of how quickly Michael had fallen asleep. Alex still couldn’t believe he’d come for him.

He pulled out his phone but there was nothing from his family. Alex paused, wondering if he should call or text his brother to let him know there was a chance he’d make it… But how had Michael known? 

Alex called his brother. J.J answered on the fourth ring.

“J.J?” Alex whispered.

“Did the Cavalry arrive?” His brother asked.

“You sent him?”

“No, he overheard me on the phone to you”

“So you didn’t ask him to come?”

“No”

“Then how did you know he was coming?”

“Because he loves you; I could see it in his eyes bro”

“You know what happened; what dad did to him”

“Does that change how you feel about him?”

“No but it should change how he feels about me”

He heard his brother sigh.

“Alex, that boy is crazy about you” he explained “and you’re still hung up on him… Do something about it”

The call ended abruptly and Alex was left just staring at his phone. His brother could be so frustrating sometimes but his heart was always in the right place. Maybe he should take his advice and  _ do _ something. 

*****

At first, Michael had no idea where he was; the room was unfamiliar, the bed was too comfortable, the smell of food was too inviting and the warm body pressed against his was too good to be true. He looked down at the hand upon his chest and smiled as his eyes trailed over Alex.

He didn’t have to move much in order to lean down and place a kiss to his forehead; Alex stirred at the touch of Michael’s lips and he opened his eyes, looked up into his eyes and shyly smiled.

A memory stirred of the last time Alex had been in his arms like this and a sharp pain shot through his heart. He longed to go back to that day; so young, naive, giddy, nervous, hopeful.

Their eyes locked, Michael wondered if Alex was thinking of the same memories. He watched as Alex’s fingers slowly moved up his chest then he felt the gentle caress of his thumb across his lips. Michael dared to place a kiss to his fingertip. Alex’s eyes closed as he left his finger on Michael’s lips, slowly caressing him. He stared at Alex’s face, he looked so peaceful that Michael just wanted to kiss him.

Michael reached up, grasped Alex’s wrist before entwining their fingers and bringing his hand up to kiss his palm. By now, Alex’s eyes were open, staring at him, unblinking. His heart was racing as he leaned closer and claimed his lips in a gentle kiss.

“What are we doing, Guerin?” Alex whispered.

“What do you want us to do?” Michael asked.

He watched as Alex swallowed nervously and his eyes darted to the bedside table. Michael saw a paper bag and reached for it.

“Don’t-” Alex started to say but Michael opened the bag then looked up to see Alex’s flushed cheeks.

“Is that what you want?” Michael asked again.

“I…” Alex swallowed nervously. “Do you?”

“Yes”

“Good”

Michael dropped the bag and reached for Alex, pulled him to him and kissed his lips. He felt the nervous tension in Alex’s body but smiled into the embrace when Alex finally began to relax.

“It’s just us” Michael assured him. “We can take our time”

“I want this” Alex whispered “I want you”

They came together in another gentle kiss and Michael pulled Alex into his lap, so he was straddling his thighs. He wrapped his arms around Alex and held him close, his hands trailing underneath Alex’s shirt to caress his lower back.

Alex didn’t miss a beat and immediately began to grind his hips against Michael, rubbing their cocks together. Michael groaned when he felt Alex’s enthusiasm for him.

He slid his hand down Alex’s pants and grasped his cheek, causing Alex to buck his hips, press closer to Michael.

He couldn’t believe this was happening again. He’d dreamed of having Alex in his arms, his bed, even just one more time and it was actually finally happening. Michael wanted to kiss, touch, caress every inch of Alex’s body… to refresh his mind and recommit it all to memory.

Michael pulled Alex’s shirt free of his body and tossed it aside so he could lean in and kiss his firm chest. His few years of Air Force training had hardened his body with muscles and Michael planned to kiss them all.

Michael eased Alex onto his back, pressing his body into the mattress then he proceeded to kiss and lick a trail down his neck, his chest, his nipples. Alex groaned when Michael took his nipple between his teeth and he bucked his hips. Michael smirked to himself and teased Alex again.

He loved this; loved having Alex at his mercy, moaning with delight at what Michael was doing to him. He loved the way Alex arched into his touch, the way he groaned his name, the way Alex looked up at him from beneath his lashes as he slowly stripped him bare.

*****

Alex’s heart was racing, his skin tingled as he reveled in Michael’s gentle touch. The way his hands slowly caressed his body, touching every inch of his skin and treating him as afraid he was going to break… but Alex wanted  _ this; _ he wanted  _ Michael _ . He wasn’t fragile, yet if that’s what Michael needed him to be, then he would.

They were almost as shy and timid as their first time together. Their touches were slow, gentle and tender. Their kisses full of love and desire for the other. They were alone, just the two of them, for the first time since  _ that day _ … and all they wanted was to be together.

He didn’t want to rush but Michael was moving painfully slow. Alex was completely naked and Michael had barely removed his shirt. It was his turn to take charge, he pushed back and separated Michael from his shirt before reaching for his belt buckle. It was no easy feat to remove his belt but Alex managed to slide his hand inside the confines of Michael’s jeans. He cupped his hardness and Michael thrust into his grasp while burying his tongue deep within Alex’s mouth. Arms around him, they each pulled the other closer and deepened their kisses.

Alex’s hand was still pressed between their bodies, grasping Michael’s cock through his underwear, rubbing him enthusiastically. Michael bucked into his touch as his tongue continued to explore Alex’s mouth, until he pulled away and smiled at him.

It was Alex’s turn to kiss a trail down Michael’s chest. He retracted his hand, grasped the waistband of Michael’s jeans and slowly lowered them as Michael wiggled his hips in a bid to ‘help’ him. He took the underwear with him and pulled the clothes clear from Michael’s body so he was equally as naked. 

They looked into each other’s eyes, no doubt remembering the last time they’d been this intimate. Both were already slightly out of breath but they moved in perfect sync and came together in a sweet kiss as their bodies touched, cocks pressed against the other; they both groaned. Neither were willing to break the embrace, to pull away from the other but they both reached for the bag of supplies at the same time. 

Hands grasped the paper bag, both pulled it towards them. They parted and simply looked into each other’s eyes before they both uttered a single word at the same time.

“Yes”

*****

When Michael awoke, the room was in complete darkness but he could feel Alex’s body against his, curled protectively in his embrace. He held his breath for a moment, fearing he was perhaps still asleep and it had all been a very lucid dream. He moved his fingers and touched the bare skin of Alex’s body and he released a tiny sigh of relief before leaning down to place a gentle kiss to the man’s shoulder, neck and cheek.

He felt Alex begin to stir and he remained perfectly still.

“W… time’s it?” Alex’s voice was laced with sleep.

Michael didn’t want to move but the clock was on his side of the bed. He peered over his shoulder.

“Late” he replied.

“How late?”

“Almost midnight”

“Fuck”

“Hey, its okay” Michael leaned down and kissed his shoulder once more. “We’ve still got plenty of time to make it back”

“Guerin-”

“You’re not going to miss this wedding, I promise”

“I still can’t believe…”

“It’s your brother’s wedding, you  _ have _ to be there”

He felt Alex stir, shift in his arms and nuzzle closer into Michael’s embrace. Alex’s fingers touched his arm and he closed his eyes.

“My dad…” Alex paused “he doesn’t… Doesn’t want me there”

“That’s crap; you’re family” Michael argued.

“I’m the black sheep of the family”

“Baaaaaaa”

Alex laughed.

“Listen, you said the ceremony is at eleven” Michael continued “it’s six hours give or take; so let’s set an alarm and get a very early start, way before sun up”

“Okay”

Michael felt Alex starting to pull away and he tried to hold onto him, to stop him.

“Guerin, I need to reach my phone” Alex argued so he reluctantly released him but seconds later, Alex was back and settled in his embrace again.

The phone screen lit up as Alex started pressing buttons to set an alarm to wake them. 

“Eight texts from J’J” Alex said to Michael. “None from dad”

“I can’t wait to see the look on his face when you show up” Michael softly laughed.

“Yeah” he sounded less amused.

He wrapped his arms around Alex and pulled him close, held him in what he hoped was a protective and comforting embrace.

“Hey” he whispered before placing a kiss to his cheek “this isn’t about your father; this is your brother’s wedding and  _ he  _ wants you there… that’s what matters” he pressed another kiss to Alex’s skin “and I’ll get you there; I swear”

“I know you will” Alex’s voice was so full of trust. It made Michael’s heart ache. 

He wanted to say more; to tell Alex the real reason he’d come all this way. All he had to say was three simple words and Alex would know… know that nothing had changed. Despite the distance separating them, the obstacles like Jesse Manes keeping them apart, Michael still felt the same; he still wanted to be with Alex.

He was sure Alex felt the same; why else did he buy the things he’d bought? Why else would Alex be in his arms right now if he didn’t feel the same?

Michael lie awake a long time, debating all those questions and more until he could stand it no longer and he opened his mouth to say something.

“This doesn’t change anything for me, Alex” he whispered into the darkness. 

Beside him, there was no movement but the steady flow of Alex’s breath as he’d already fallen asleep.

*****

The alarm was loud enough to wake them both with startled surprise. Michael reached for the light while Alex fumbled with his phone to turn the buzzing alarm off. In the dim light of the hotel room, they nervously looked at each other and smiled shyly.

“Did uh you want to shower?” Alex asked him.

“Yeah” Michael coughed to clear his throat. “It’ll help wake me up”

“You go first then while I pack” 

“Oh, you don’t want to join me?”

“I really need time to get everything here packed up”

Michael nodded and tried to hide his disappointment by climbing out of bed, walking naked across the room and into the bathroom. Alex had to force himself not to look by pretending to be focused on his phone. Once the bathroom door closed, he moved about the room, putting the few items he’d removed from his bag away. It took no time at all but he pulled out some clean clothes then waited.

Alex was sitting on the bed with the sheet covering himself when Michael emerged, clad only in a towel. He stood up and their paths crossed as Alex moved into the bathroom though neither looked at the other. After the door closed, Michael sank down on the bed and hoped the drive back wouldn’t continue to be this awkward.

He picked up Alex’s phone to check the time. It was almost 3am but the trip to Roswell was maybe six hours so he felt confident Alex would easily make the wedding with time to spare. Michael put the phone down then started searching the floor for his discarded clothes only to find Alex had neatly placed them on the chair. He dressed quickly and was just putting his boots back on when he heard the shower stop.

Alex emerged a moment later, dressed, and proceeded to look for his shoes. Michael found the bag of food Alex had bought earlier and started munching on a muffin. 

“I uh guess I’m ready” Alex said to him.

Michael nodded and reached to take Alex’s bag.

“I’ll take this to the truck while you return the key”

They left the hotel room together; both with one final glance at the bed then each other. Michael headed to his truck while Alex went to reception. Minutes later he was climbing into the passenger seat and Michael started the engine.

It was pitch dark outside, the moon was high in the sky and the immediate vicinity was completely deserted.

As Michael pulled onto the main road, he suggested Alex go back to sleep for a bit then nodded towards the pillow he’d grabbed from the back of his truck but Alex shook his head. He was too nervous to sleep; hadn’t seen his brother in months but wasn’t looking forward to seeing his father at all. A part of him wanted to tell all this to Michael but he couldn’t.

After half an hour on the road, Michael pulled over in the town of Pueblo. He didn’t say a word as he stopped the truck and pointed to a sign saying ‘open 24 hours’. Their eyes met and Alex shrugged. They were both hungry; the place was empty aside from a few bored looking staff so their food arrived quickly and neither took time to savor the taste. Alex paid and they returned to the truck.

They had barely spoken ten words to each other in over an hour. Neither knew what to say but the silence between them wasn’t awkward. Michael reached for the radio at the same time Alex did; their hands brushed and they looked at each other, exchanged a small smile. Michael turned the radio on and let the music play very softly in the background.

“Thank you” Alex finally broke the silence “for coming to get me”

“I knew how important this was to you” Michael confessed.

“You did?”

“Yeah; you sound surprised”

“I just… we haven’t talked in a long time and-”

“I remember a lot of the things we used to talk about. You said the only shining light in your life was your oldest brother”

“Yeah” Alex looked down at his hands “I just…”

“Didn’t think I was listening?”

“Was surprised you’d remember is all”

“Guess I was just jealous; you had someone in your corner”

“You’ve always had Max and Isobel”

“It’s not the same”

“No… I guess it’s not”

The silence engulfed them again as Michael focused on the road and Alex stared at his hands.

“He always looked out for me, you know?” Alex continued “always seemed to know when dad being awful… like some kind of sixth sense”

Michael nodded his head; could really only imagine it having never completely experienced it for himself.

“I never told him what dad was like but I think he knew” Alex said “he even called  _ that night _ ” he blinked back tears “and I told him  _ everything _ . About the museum and the toolshed” his eyes flickered to Michael’s scars “what dad did to you”

Michael flexed his fingers at the memory.

“He swore he’d be on the next flight out but I told him not to come” 

“He came anyway” Michael finished “I saw him at graduation with your father”

“Yeah” Alex made a small smile with his lips “he said he’d never miss anything important to me”

“I uh thought it was strange that he came up and just started talking to me”

“He did?”

Alex looked up and frowned at Michael; his brother had never said anything to him about it.

“He seemed so…. different to what I imagined” Michael said “like I just always pictured all your brothers as carbon copies of your dad but… I mean he  _ looks _ like him on the outside except his eyes… they’re your eyes, your mothers eyes”

Alex could feel tears brimming again but he held them back.

“He was really nice and I didn’t know what to do with that” Michael kept going “but then he asked to see my hand and I panicked… ran away”

“J.J’s practical; he uh probably just needed to see for himself but I know he never doubted my account, not for a second”

“He really does care about you, Alex, and that’s why we’re driving on an almost deserted road at five in the morning… because you’re going to be there for him when he needs you”

Michael removed his hand from the wheel and reached for Alex who let him take his hand. He watched as Michael raised his hand to his lips and pressed a kiss to his palm. Michael’s eyes never left the road but he knew Alex was watching him so he smiled at him.

They were still driving close to daybreak so Michael pulled the truck over. Words weren’t needed as they both climbed out then moved to the tailgate where Michael dropped the back and they sat down, side by side, hands practically touching as the sun broke over the horizon.

Alex had seen many a sunrise and sunset in his life but none as beautiful as this one, in the middle of nowhere, just the two of them to enjoy it.

When he turned to peer at Michael, he saw that Michael was watching him; their eyes locked and Alex shyly smiled.

“That was beautiful” Alex whispered.

“You’re Beautiful” Michael replied before he leaned closer, eyes closing as he started to move into Alex’s person space. Alex met him halfway and their lips touched in a gentle, lingering kiss.

Alex was the first to break the embrace though he paused for a moment, foreheads pressed together, just being close to each other.

“This doesn’t change anything,” he said, breaking the moment and causing Michael to shift away entirely.

“We need to get going” he said curtly. “Still got a few hours driving ahead of us”

“Thank you for this”

Michael jumped from the back of the truck and shrugged nonchalantly as he instinctively reached to help Alex down. He slid into Michael’s arms so effortlessly and they both paused, looked at each other then quickly averted their gazes. Michael released him and locked the back while Alex headed to the cab.

He was leaning against the drivers side door.

“You want me to drive for a bit?” Alex asked “you still look exhausted”

“That your way of saying I look like crap?” Michael replied as he ran his hand through his messy curls while stifling a yawn.

“Come on, let me drive”

Michael reached into his pocket, pulled out his keys then hesitated. Alex raised his hand to take them and their fingers brushed. Both could feel the connection between them, no matter how much they denied it. Michael released his grasp in surrender and Alex climbed behind the wheel.

Once back on the open road, Michael could feel his eyes drooping but he fought very hard not to fall asleep. The familiar rumble of his truck was soothing as was the knowledge that Alex was right beside him so he closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep, his head resting upon Alex’s shoulder. 

Alex tried to focus on the road but Michael was pressed so close, he could feel his breath upon his skin and his heart kept racing. Each time he tried to take his hand off the wheel and reach for Michael, he stopped himself. What happened between them in the hotel had been a once-off and he couldn’t cross that line again, they couldn’t go down that road again. He was an Airmen and Michael was… Michael. Alex was an enlisted officer, wasn’t going to be in town long enough for anything serious and he couldn’t lead Michael on like that.

The weight of Michael’s head on his shoulder was a comfort and a curse.The way his curls brushed against Alex’s skin was more of a distraction than he ever wanted but it still made him smile just the same.

The sun was shining over the horizon as they travelled closer and closer to town. Alex was excited at the prospect of seeing his brother, watching him marry the love of his life. All the while he was driving a truck through the desert with the love of his. 

Michael awoke with a start and looked around in confusion as he temporarily forgot where he was. He looked up and his eyes met with Alex who simply smiled at him.

“Morning sleepyhead” Alex greeted him.

“Where are we?” Michael asked as he stretched and covered a yawn. 

Alex pointed to the sign ahead stating Ramon was up ahead and Michael nodded his head. A few moments later they drove right on past the tiny, tiny town. Neither said a word as they continued on their journey. Both were very aware that they were drawing closer to an end of their trip as Roswell was only an hour away.

“Not long to go now” Michael said as he finally moved away from Alex and back to the passenger side of the cab.

“Yeah” Alex agreed. “I uh can’t wait to see J.J”

“Have you talked to him?”

“I did… I called him after you showed up”

“And you told him what exactly?”

“That my knight in shining armour had arrived”

They fell into a comfortable silence as the truck carried them closer and closer to town. Occasionally their eyes would meet then one would nervously away. Michael turned the radio on and quietly began to sing along but as each song drew to a close, his heart ached at the knowledge that they were five minutes closer to town.

When they reached the town limits, Alex pulled over and they sat in silence.

“Alex?” Michael whispered.

Alex turned and looked at him with tears in his eyes.

“I’m not ready to say goodbye yet” he whispered “but I know we have to”

“If your dad saw us together-”

“He’d lose it again and I… I won’t do that to you, not again”

“Alex-”

“Please, Guerin? You’ll never know just how much  _ this _ means to me; that you made sure I wouldn’t miss J.J’s wedding… But… Your life right now is in Roswell and mine is… Who even knows where? I never know from one month to the next where I’ll be and I can’t ask you to just sit here and wait for me”

“You don’t have to ask-”

“No, Guerin, I won’t let you put your life on hold… Not for me… Not when we can’t… Can’t really be together”

“But  _ why _ can’t we?”

“You know why”

Alex reached for the handle to open the door as Michael leaned closer. They both moved to meet in the middle for one last, final kiss as tears prickled in Alex’s eyes. He pulled away, opened the door and slipped from the cab. On the road ahead was a parked car that Michael watched Alex hurry towards. He could see J.J behind the wheel and he nodded to him.

Michael slid into the driver’s seat but didn’t start the truck until J.J’s car had driven away, taking Alex with it.

*

Tears were still streaming down Alex’s cheeks but he didn’t go into details with his brother. He didn’t have to; J.J had witnessed their parting kiss and it broke his heart that the happiest day of his life was so painful for his baby brother. He hoped his actions could bring Alex happiness too.

They drove home but before climbing from the car, J.J told Alex he didn’t care what anyone else thought. He’d made up his mind and he wanted Alex to be his best man at the wedding. Alex immediately began to panic because he wasn’t prepared for that but he couldn’t say no.

The morning was stressful for everyone. Jesse wasn’t happy to see his youngest and was even less pleased to learn Alex had been reinstated in the role of best man. To really annoy their father, J.J even handed Alex the eyeliner he told him it was okay to wear. Alex hoped it was waterproof.

While Alex and his family were preparing for the wedding, Michael drove to Foster Ranch which now held a large marquee but no air-stream. He slammed on the breaks and stared in shock at the empty horizon. He knew Jesse Manes had wanted it moved but what had he done with Michael’s home?

He didn’t want to ask anyone but he had nowhere else to go so he turned the car around and headed to Max’s. Before he’d even pulled into the drive, he breathed a sigh of relief when he saw his beloved air-stream and Max in front of it.

Michael jumped out of the truck and ran towards him.

“Max!” He called out.

“Do I even want to know what this is doing here?” Max asked him “did you get evicted from the ranch?”

“Temporarily… You uh you didn’t do this?”

“One of the Manes’s dropped it off this morning; asked if it could stay here till tomorrow. I couldn’t exactly say no… and I had no idea where you were”

“Which Manes?” Michael asked.

“The tall one”

“They’re all tall”

“Well… the oldest I think… Junior?”

“Uh thanks Max… I promise to move it back tomorrow”

“First thing”

Max turned and walked away from him. It was the longest conversation they’d had in months. Michael didn’t stew on it though, his thoughts were still on Alex and the fact he was in town till tomorrow.

He threw open the door of the air-stream and the first thing he saw was evidence of an uninvited visitor. The note attached was direct and to the point. Michael had a decision to make.

*

Everything Alex had predicted about his brother’s wedding came true; J.J looked the image of perfection in his dress blues and his fiancée was truly a sight to behold as she walked down the aisle. As Alex stood at his brother’s side, he tried very hard not to imagine what his own wedding would look like… though he couldn’t shake the image of a curly haired cowboy from his head.

Their vows were beautiful and Alex forced himself to hold back tears. After the ceremony the happy couple were stolen away by a photographer so Alex went in search of a drink then spent the better part of an hour trying to avoid his father. He found a secluded spot to try to write a speech but nothing seemed fitting.

When the reception began, Alex sat at his brother’s side and told him he didn't have time to prepare a speech. J.J didn’t care; he was just glad to have Alex at his side. Alex managed to catch up with Kyle’s father but was secretly relieved to learn Kyle hadn’t been able to make it. He returned to his seat for the speeches where his father’s words made him want to throw up. Then the couple took to the dancefloor for their first dance.

This was his cue; Alex stepped up to the microphone and took the guitar. He sang a beautiful, heartfelt ballad that had the couple in tears before the end. He was feeling slightly emotional himself as he stepped off the stage and ducked out the back of the marquee.

In his haste, he wasn’t watching where he was going and collided with another guest in a fine suit.

*

Michael had been standing outside the marquee in his provided suit for the better part of fifteen minutes. Each time he thought he could step inside, a voice reminded him that Jesse Manes was in there especially when he heard the master sergeant giving a ‘painful to listen to’ speech. 

Then he heard Alex’s voice serenading the couple and he knew he had to leave; knew he didn’t belong here but he couldn’t go until the end of the song. So he moved even closer to hear better.

Tears were streaming down his cheeks when the song ended but he was transfixed. The marquee opened and a figure came running out, collided with him and Michael found himself staring into Alex’s tear filled eyes.

He didn’t even think, his instincts and reflexes had him pulling Alex into his arms to hold and comfort him. Alex clung to him as his body trembled. They each held the other until their tears subsided and they could both hear the music wafted out to them.

Michael repositioned their hold and began to sway to the music. He’d never danced with anyone before so it meant a lot that Alex could be his first.

“Where did you get the suit?” Alex asked him.

“Anonymous gift” Michael admitted “the card just had initials on it… J.J”

“His way of thanking you for bringing me home”

“I just wasn’t sure if it was such a good idea but I did want to see you tonight”

“Why’s that?”

“Because you’re leaving tomorrow; so I needed tonight to tell you… nothing’s changed”

“Guerin-”

“I mean what I said, Alex, I will wait for you forever”

“No” Alex whispered “you can’t”

“I can and I will”

Alex broke away and looked into Michael’s eyes, with tears in his own.

“We can’t do this, Guerin” Alex said “we have to let each other go”

“You really think you can just walk away? From this? From us? From me?”

“I have to and you have to let me”

He slowly leaned over and gently kissed Michael who reached up and cupped his neck, resting their foreheads together.

“No” Michael whispered “I can’t”

“Yes, you can and you will… You will”

He broke away from Michael, turned on his heel and walked away. Michael didn’t say a word as tears silently rolled down his cheeks.

*************

“Because everytime you look at me, I’m seventeen again and I forget the last ten years ever happened” Alex declared “but then you look away and I remember all over again and it kills me. Every time”

It’s been years since their dance outside the marquee at J.J’s wedding but neither of their feelings have changed. Michael knows this is his chance to put things right again.

“I never look away” he told him “not really”

They continued to stare at each other, their words heavily in the air between them. Alex turns to walk away and Michael knows he can’t let him go. Not now, not ever. He reaches for Alex’s arm.

“What are you doing?” He asks.

To Michael’s relief, Alex doesn’t walk away; instead he makes his way to the airstream. Michael hurries after him and they come together in a deep, passionate kiss.

Alex was back and Michael wasn’t going to let him go, not today; not ever.


End file.
